- Three months of Premium: $ ($ per month)
- Six months of Premium: $ ($ per month)
- 12 months of Premium: $ ($ per month)
The app interface looks a little like Tinder, and functions like it, too: There’s no lengthy scientific personality test to take if that’s not what you’re into
The gist: Match (opens in a new tab) was one of the first names in the online dating game: It’s been around since 1995 and has the credentials of having found 1.6 million people their partners.
It’s also a talkative platform – vibe-wise, it’s not the kind of place you just tap through profiles of people and don’t start a conversation after. If you’re not a conversationalist, don’t worry – Lara, the virtual dating coach, is there to help provide some icebreakers to get the chat going (she’ll also help you improve your profile).
Why it works: Match is great for working professionals who want to get a look at the whole dating pool before picking which end to jump into – you can start with all the possibilities and then winnow them down through the use of filters
Instead, you can answer a few short questions about your basic characteristics (what you’re looking for, your job, etc.). From there, instead of having the app pull matches from you based on an algorithm, you have access to the entire dating pool from the start and can use filters to find matches you think are compatible with you.
If you don’t want to start from zero, however (because as you know, time is money), the app will also recommend compatible people so you have a starting point for matching. The �Missed Connections� feature is also great – it’ll use GPS to let you know if you’ve crossed paths with any potential matches out and about in the real world.
It’s not too lenient, however (because you aren’t either!): There are ways to rule out people with whom you could never make it work.
Users tend to skew older too – think 35 to about 50, which puts the odds in favor of people looking for relationships and not just casual hookups. Plus, if you really want to keep all your options available – or don’t want to make endless small talk before heading on an IRL date, you can head to the platform’s informal match nights, events where singles using the app can get together. Either way, the approach gets results: The app boasts a relatively higher percentage of second and follow-up dates.
- Free version: Yes
- One month of Preferred: $
- Three months of Preferred: $ ($ per month)
- Six months of Preferred: $ ($ per month)
The gist: Although it launched in 2012, Hinge massively overhauled its platform and mechanics to differentiate itself from other dating sites like OkCupid and Tinder by offering a sleek way �relationship app,� as it initially branded itself, that’s �designed to be deleted.� Compared to Tinder (which is owned by the same parent company), Hinge is more about engaging over similar careers, interests, and senses of humor instead of a quick attraction swipe – and it gives you more of a look at people’s personalities from the start with hop over to these guys new icebreaker features like video question prompts.
Single professionals will appreciate that 99 percent of Hinge users are college-educated as of 2019, and that the most popular industries include banking, consulting, media, and fashion. Hinge super-popular with young professionals in cities like NYC and Chicago, and it’s likely that a lot of users moved to that city for work and understand the 9 to 5 routine.